Primary Care Provider Views of the Current Referral-to-Eye-Care Process: Focus Group Results
Public Deposited- Last Modified
- January 13, 2020
- Creator
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Holley, Clay D.
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Public Health Leadership and Practice
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Holley, Clay D.
- Abstract
- Purpose: To understand the barriers facing primary care providers (PCPs), including nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in the current referral-to-eye-care process and to solicit suggestions from PCPs on how to improve the current referral system. Methods: We conducted four focus groups with a total of 17 PCPs: two groups with physicians (MDs) - one in a rural setting and one in an academic medical center setting; one group with NPs; and one group PAs. We audiotaped and transcribed all discussions, and both authors performed content analysis of the transcripts with the assistance of qualitative software, NUD*IST Vivo. Results: The most frequently cited referral barriers include: (1) poor feedback from eye care providers (ECPs), (2) patients' lack of finances/insurance coverage, and (3) difficulty in scheduling an ECP appointment. Among rural PCPs, limited access to ECPs and patients' limited access to transportation also were cited. Suggestions made in all groups on ways to improve the current referral system include: (1) implementing electronic medical records (EMRs), (2) receiving better communication/feedback from ECPs, (3) having ophthalmologists hold clinic days in primary care facilities, and (4) performing retinal scans in primary care clinics. Conclusions: PCPs desire change(s) in the current referral-to-eye-care system. Better communication between PCPs and ECPs, further implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs), and increasing eye screening in primary care clinics were common themes. Implementing specific suggestions, such as modernizing medical record systems, may help to increase eye care utilization among patients at high risk for advancing eye disease and vision loss.
- Date of publication
- May 2009
- DOI
- Resource type
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Note
- Paper type: Research or research design
- Track: HC&P
- Advisor
- Gourlay, Margaret
- Reviewer
- Lee, Paul
- Degree
- Master of Public Health
- Degree granting institution
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Graduation year
- 2009
- Language
- Deposit record
- b6f6bdeb-f0b9-4907-a2ad-769b5d2e1080
- Date uploaded
- March 6, 2013
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